Lai visits troops with zongzi to mark Dragon Boat Festival

Lai visits troops with zongzi to mark Dragon Boat Festival

2024-05-28

President Lai Ching-te visited the troops on Tuesday, following China’s large-scale “encirclement” drills around Taiwan. He made stops at bases central to the East Coast’s defense. Lai thanked soldiers for keeping the country safe. He also joined them for a meal of zongzi to mark the upcoming Dragon Boat Festival.

An artillery firing drill gets underway, as President Lai Ching-te watches on in his capacity as commander-in-chief of the armed forces. Despite heavy rains shortening the exercise, the soldiers performed at their peak.

Besides inspecting a mixed squadron in Hualien, Lai visited a naval base armed with Hsiung Feng missiles. He also stopped by the Air Force’s Fifth Tactical Wing, which is home to F-16 fighters. Ahead of Dragon Boat Festival, Lai arrived with zongzi to celebrate with the troops.

Lai Ching-te
President
Dragon Boat Festival is coming up soon. Today we’ve prepared meat zongzi as a gesture of our appreciation to you all. National security takes no holidays. Only because our brothers and sisters in the military hold fast to their posts can the people peacefully enjoy the festival. Let us continue to work hard together to make our nation even safer. Because of China’s recent military drills, you all have been under great duress. Thank you all.

Although it was a routine visit to the troops, Lai stopped at bases central to eastern Taiwan’s air and naval defense, which was recently challenged by China’s encirclement drills. Notably, he sported an F-16V bomber jacket.

Lai Ching-te
President
Just now, the pilots of this wing thoroughly briefed me on their response to CCP aircraft disruptions, and on the performance capabilities of our fighter jets. Everyone is on standby 24 hours a day, maintaining our air patrols. Under the leadership of wing commander Chuang, our brothers and sisters are enhancing our air defense and protecting our skies with unwavering determination and outstanding combat skills.

It was Lai’s ninth day in office and his second visit to the troops. Due to heavy rains that briefly closed a Hualien airport, Lai’s departure was delayed by 10 minutes. But the rest of his tour proceeded as planned.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
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賴清德勗勉花蓮部隊帶粽子與國軍共進午餐提早過端午節

2024-05-28

中國圍台軍演結束後，總統賴清德首度視導國軍，他今天前往花蓮，勗勉負責守護東部空防海防的陸海空軍部隊，總統慰勞國軍弟兄辛勞，也向大家說謝謝，還帶了粽子和國軍一起吃午餐，提早過端午節。

砲兵進行砲操訓練，總統賴清德以三軍統帥身分視導訓練成果，雖然受大雨影響，縮減演練規模，但國軍操演毫不含糊。

總統賴清德不只到花蓮陸軍混兵營、也到部署雄風飛彈的海軍海鋒大隊、以及主要裝備為F16戰機的空軍第五戰術聯隊。端午節前總統還準備肉粽來和國軍弟兄提早過節。

[[總統賴清德]]
“再過不久就是端午節，今天我們特別準備了肉粽，來慰勞大家。保家衛國沒有假期，正因為國軍弟兄姐妹堅守崗位，國人才能夠安心過節，我們一起繼續努力，讓國家更安全。過去這段時間因應中國軍演，大家都辛苦了，謝謝你們。”

雖然是例行勗勉行程，但就在中國圍台軍演後，視察負責守護東部空防海防的重要部隊，總統也特別穿上F16V飛行夾克。

[[總統賴清德]]
“剛剛我們聯隊的飛行員也仔細向我說明，對共機擾台的因應作為，以及戰機的裝備性能，大家都在24小時輪班待命，執行空中巡邏任務，尤其在莊聯隊長的帶領下，各位弟兄姊妹，都以堅定的決心卓越的戰技，發揚空中戰力，守護我們的領空。”

賴總統上任第九天，二度前往部隊視察，雖然出發前因為花蓮大雨天候不佳，機場關閉，媒體團一度下機等候，總統的空軍一號也短暫延誤十分鐘起飛，還好最後行程照原定規劃完成。

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Golf instructor
Five years back I moved to Taiwan with a group of people from my church in the US to help start a new one in Taipei. That was my main reason for coming. I stayed here through just teaching golf. That is also my passion so I have been doing that since. Turns out I met my husband at that church so now I am married and we will call Taiwan our home sweet home for now at the moment.

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